Be the Girl

Be The Girl is my very first FIVE STAR read of 2019 and it\’ll be up there as one of the best books I\’ll read this year without a doubt. I\’ve been struggling to find a story that would blow me away this year, a story full of richness and depth and relatable characters that would reach out and grip me with intense emotion and an unforgettable storyline. (Not too much to ask, is it?) Well I\’m thrilled to say I finally found it. Be the Girl is moving and heart wrenching, thought provoking and romantic. It\’s a story full of regret and redemption, unconditional love and friendship, and IT IS EXCEPTIONAL. There are so many nuances to this story, I don\’t even know where to begin. Read this book because of the sweet YA love story. Read this book because of the teen angst and maddening dynamic that\’ll take you right back to high school. Read this book because it\’s eye opening. Because it\’s rich with messages of empathy and forgiveness. Read this book because it\’ll make you a better human. Read this book because of Cassie and all the things her blinding light will teach you. Read this book because Aria\’s story sends a powerful, hopeful, unforgettable message we all can relate to in some way. Read this book because Emmett is the kind of character we hope our daughters find and our sons grow up to be. Read this book because it\’ll change the way you look at the world. Be The Girl brought tears to my eyes more than once. It filled me with an overwhelming sense of giddiness because I had finally found a book that I couldn\’t put down, never wanted to end, and won\’t stop thinking about anyone soon. The youthful romance between Emmett and Aria gave me nostalgic feels of first love and unsettling emotions and raging hormones and it was both delicious and complicated and I loved every second. This is a story that resonated with me because I could see myself on these pages. I\’ve been there, in the dark places, and as painful and unsettling as those feelings were when they came to the surface, this story is a testament to the fact that things do get better. People do grow and change and learn from their mistakes. It\’s a potent, necessary reminder that you\’re not alone and that all we really need is a desire to understand each other. What a beautiful world we\’d live in if we simply sought understanding instead of isolating ourselves from what looks a little different. What a brilliant book KA Tucker delivers with Be the Girl. What a wholly unforgettable story this was. One of my goals for this new year was to stop spending my time reading books that are anything less than exceptional and this book, my friends, is simply extraordinary.

With tears still drying and nose still running I’ve just finished reading Be The Girl. I’m confident it will remain on my list of top reads for years to come. It’s more than just a story about bullying and how cruel kids can be. It’s more than just a story about what can happen when bullying goes too far. It’s about being the girl that learns from her mistakes or being the girl that suffers from them and never learns. I’m fairly confident we’ve all been bullied before. I’m also pretty confident we’ve all made fun of others at some point in life. That’s why everyone will connect with this story. It reminds you how important it is to remember that you have no idea what someone else’s life is like and that by making the choice to just be kind can make all the difference for that person. Being able to forgive those that have been unkind could be more healing for them than any satisfaction you might could get from returning their cruelty. What touched my heart the most was everything about the character Cassie who has autism. I’ve had the pleasure for the last 10 years to be a nurse working for an anesthesiologist who started his practice to specialize in providing sedation in Pediatric dental offices. Many of the children we treat have special needs. Most of us adults hate going to the dentist so imagine what it must be like for the children with special needs to allow someone to do their dental care. Some of my best days are when an autistic child connects with me and allows me to take care of them. To get a glimpse of what the parents of children with special needs and especially those with autism endure on daily basis is humbling. Those parents are heroic in my book. Knowing what Cassie’s character means to the author adds a whole other level to my love of the story. It’s always been a priority for me to teach my own children to show kindness to those with special needs and not to be scared of them because of their differences. My heart was so proud of all the characters that were gentle with Cassie’s feelings. Not to mention Emmett her big brother. He is perfectly swoon worthy. Be The Girl will be one of your favorites. A definite must read.

My first K.A. Tucker book and what a journey it was. The highs, the lows and everything in between. I can\’t remember the last time I read a book so completely and ignored everything else. There\’s no denying K.A. Tucker writes beautifully and can\’t wait to read all the books but I\’m conflicted. I don\’t which of the people I am that she mentioned in the acknowledgements, somewhere in the middle I think. I have a lot of thoughts. Cassie was great, Uncle Merv was the best, Emmett was a breathe of fresh air but Aria, Aria, Aria I don\’t know what to think of this girl. I knew this was going to be a special book, with important topics and it was but it didn\’t go in a direction I expected. I\’ve been excited about this book since K.A. posted about how much she wanted to write this story and that is all I ever ask of an author, that they write the story they want. I\’m glad I read it.

On one hand I really loved this book but on the other hand the twist set me rolling. As a teenager who was bullied relentlessly this book definitely hit a nerve. There’s no doubt K.A. Tucker can write a fantastic novel that makes you feel every emotion. But this novel was left me feeling conflicted.

While reading this book I had the fear it was going to be a predictable, boring read. Which would have been a huge disappointment as I usually love K.A Tucker\’s books. This story lived up to my high expectations. The further I got into the story the more I raced through to the end. There is definitely more to this book than meets the eye.

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